Vehdietg-machin-e



E. F. SPAULDING.

VENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 28. 1918.

Patented Nov. 4, 1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1- ii W THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPI :xm, WASIHNGTON, n. c.

E. F. SPAULDING.

VENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN-28.1918.

1 ,320,505. Patented Nov. 4, 1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

2 E a a 5/ j/ij 42 5/ 53 A jz w 74% 1n: cnLH/nnln v-LANoc-mwu C0,.WASHINGTON, n. c,

E. F. SPAULDING.

VENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED IAN. 28. I918- 1,320,505. Patented Nov. 4, 1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3- 3/ 50 Original application filed November 8,

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ELIJ'AH F. SPAULDING, 0F BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO ARTEMAS WARD,OF

NEW YORK, N. Y. I

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ELrJAn: F. SPAU DING, acitizen of the United States, and resident ofNew' York city, borough ofBrooklyn,

in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Vending-Machines, of which the following is aspecification.

This application is a division 'inpart of my'application for patent onvending machines, filed November 8, 1917, Serial No. 200,861.

My inventlo-n relates to improvements in coin-controlled vendingmachines, and has particular reference to means to prevent theentranceof a coin'through the coin slot of the machine when devices in themachine are operated for the discharge of an article therefrom.

M im orovements are illustrated in con- Figure 1 is a vertical sectionSubstantially on the lines 1, 1, inFig. 1; Fig. 2 is an enlargedvertical section. substantially on the line 2, 2, in Fig. 3,illustrating the parts in operated position; Fig. 3 is a. plan yiewillustrating my improvements, part being removed and part in section;Fig. 4 is a partly broken front elevation of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is ,alongitudinal section, parts being removed, looking from the rear of themechanism; Fig. 6 is a detail plan view, partly in section, illustratingthe coin receiving devices and the coin extractor; Fig. 7 is an enlargeddetail section of part of Fig. 6, and Figs. 8 and 9 are sectionaldetails.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in theseveral views.

While my improvements relate to means to prevent the insertion of a coinin a slot slot 29 when a corresponding lever 22 is operated to dischargean article 3 from the machlne, I have illustrated my improve- .ments inconnection with coin controlled 'mechanisln for discharging sucharticles 111 Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 4, 191a.

1917, Serial No. 200,861. Divided and this application filed January 28,1918. Serial No. 214,134.

accordance with the disclosure in my aforesaid application Serial No.200,861, but the particular coincontrolled devices for operating suchlever are not herein separately clanned, as they are claimed in my saldapplication. 1 In the accompanymg drawlngs, a suitable,

casing is indicated at 1, in Which one or more chutes 2 are provided forthe articles 3 to be vended. At the bottom of the chutes are spacedledges & suitably secured to the chutes for the articles 3 to rest on,the rear portion of the chutes'being open to permit the passage of thedepending projections 5 from Weights 6 that rest on the articles and areadapted to slide in the chutes respectively. The forward or deliveryportions of the chutes at the lower ends thereof are provided withopenings at 2 through which the lowermost article 3 may be discharged. Y

Infront of each opening 2 is a flap 7 piv0t-- ally supported uponthechute at 8 (Figs. 1

and 2), normally pressed by a spring 9 to close in front ofthe'correspondingopening 2. The flap 7 is adapted to be pushedoutwardly, by an article 8 when the latter is beingdischarged, and theflap is adapted'to swing back in front of the opening normally toprevent the surreptitious extracting of an article from the chute.Rearward swinging of the flap is limited by the chute. The chutes 2 maybe fitted in casing 1 singly, or united together. for joint removal fromthe casing in any well-known manner. The rear hinged door 1 of thecasing is adapted to close over the chutes to protectthe articles 3therein, and the door maybe fastened shut by a lock in an) well known'manner.

Beneath the chutes coin'controlled article delivery mechanism is locatedwithin casing 1. In the form illustrated saidmechanism is carried by asuitable frame 10 that is adapted to be detachably rested upon supportsor side brackets 11, shown located to detachably retain the chute (Figs.1 ..and.-.3),.- When the mechanism .is to be removed the chute 2 may belifted off frame 10 and the latter may be pulled out of the I casing,and when frame 10 has been replaced in the casing the chute may bereplaced and applied upon saidframe. At 12 is atransverse shaft shown journaled in the end walls I r w of 'frame 10, to which shaft a segmentshaped miter gear 13 is suitably secured for rocking said shaft. A coilspring 14 1s shown'surrounding shaft 12, and one of its outwardly fromwall or cross bar 10 and, is provided with a handleor finger piece 17'ffor operating saidshaft (Figs. 1 and 2).

Casinglis shown provided with an open- 7 ing 1 through which handle 17is adapted to pass when frame 10 is placed within or removed from thecasing, Shaft 16 iss'hown v provided with a ratchet 18 having a shoulder18* adapted to engage a stop 19 on 7 frame 10 to limit rotationof's'haft 16 in one direction (Fig. 4).

direction as influencedby spring 14:, whereby' to retain shaft 12 in thenormal position, andQratchet 18 is shownprovided with a stop 18Ttoengagethe stop 1.9jto limit manual rotation of shafts 16and 12 in'operating I The ratchet 18 is adapted to, retain shafts lG and 12in oneor more partially operated positions, hetween the limits of rotationofshaft 16, by

means of a dog 20. thatlis pivotally supported at 21 upon wall or crossbar 10 as hereinafter enplained (Fig. 1). At 22ers rocklevers' pivotallysupported upon shaft 12, each of whichlevers corresp-onds to one of thechutes '2, the levers being spaced apart ,according to the spacing tolevers 22. If the machine is provided with one 'C0 1I1, slot one ofthelevers 22 with V devices: hereinafter described to f operateit"willjsuh'ice, The levers normally rest against the. upper cross; baror wall 10 0f frame 10 (Fig. 1), with their upper portions -.,.normallyat one side of the vertical plane for the rear'of the correspondingchute. The 60. I spondinglchute topush the lowermost article H leversare adapted. to pass under the correfrom the, chute through its opening2 When the lever is caused to rock forwardly by a .-f!c' oin .28 w-l1enit;..is,opposed to the lower pro- "j'ecting portion 22 of thecorresponding ing dependingcars pivotally support= ed upon thecorresponding lever 22, the weighted end 24* of such ejector normallybearing against the rear of its lever and thereby Leing' retained topush article 3 from the chute above. The ears 25 may bear against thesides of'the' corresponding levers 22' to; retain the ejectors fromlateral movement. After an ejector has pushed the lower article 3 from astack of articles in a chute 2, the upper free end of the ejectorwillslide rearwa-rdly'under such lowermost article back'to" the normalposition when lever 22 returns thereto. When'the lowest or last article(or, if preferred, 'neXt to the last article) of a-stack hasbeen'ej'eoted, the

, weight 6 will have descended sufliciently low to causeitsproj'ection 5to be brought opposite the upper projecting end 22 of lever 22 toprevent said lever from resuming its normal position, as indicated inFigQlO, whereby such lever cannot be operated again until the weight hasbeen. raised, asflwhen a new stack of articles is placed'in thecorresponding chute with the weight on such articles. When' the ejector24-is moved forwardly to eject an article 8' from the chute, it willcause the corresponding flap 7 to be swung open "by the article, andvwhen the article has been fully pushed out of the chute it will. "dropfrom under the flap down 7 through passage 27 within thef'casing' torest upon the exposed support or wall 281 imposition for removal (Fig.2). The sup port 28, which may be made of any suitable! construction,is'secured in frame 1 in front of the upper portions of levers 22, andsaid support is provided with a coin slot 29' corresponding to eachlever 22. Beneath each coin slot 29is a movable slot closer 30operatively connected with the corresponding lever 22, and so arrangedthat when such lever is in the normal position (Fig.1) the closer 30will. be retracted from beneath 7 slot 29 to permit the passage of acoin therethrough,and when lever 22 is swung forp v wardly, for ejectingan article, the closer of the chutesand located below the same. VSpacers a: are shown on shaft 12 adjacent 30 will be correspondinglymoved forwardly under slot 29' to prevent the entrance of a coin intothe machine through said slot until the lever has returned to' normal(Fig. 2). The slot closer 30 is shown inthe form of a flat plateslidable in a recess or opening3l fitted in a hole 33 in thecorresponding lever 22 whereby such closer is detachably connected withthe lever. The hook-like lug 3. 0

may be applied to lever 22 byturning the closer 3O flatwise withrespectto lever 22 to pass the free end of the lug-through hole 33,

and then the closer may be turned at right angles, with the lug in saidhole, so that the closer may slide flatwise'upon plate 32. I prefer, inthe normal position of lever 22 and closer 30 (Fig. 1), that the forwardend of the closer shall'oppose' a stop indicate'd at 10 on wall 10iniFig. 1,which stop preferably has its corner the end of the closer, orthe forward edge of the closer may be rounded, so that the closer willslide upon said stop when lever 22 is pushed. If an instrument beinserted in slot 29 to engage and push thecloser forward to operatelever 22, the closer will be pushed down behind and against said'stop10K to prevent sliding of thecloser and operation of the lever forpreventing surreptitious extractingof articles 3 by operating the leverwithout a coin.

For operating the levers 22 by means of coins I have illustrated thefollowing devices, which pertain to features claimed in my saidapplication Serial No. 200,861. A movable member 34 has spaced arms 34located adjacent the inner surfaces of the end walls of frame 10, andmounted upon shaft 12 to swing below the same, which member isoperatively connected with said shaft to be rocked therewith. I haveshown member 34 provided with a'projection 34 that is operativelyconnected with a gear 13, as by being fitted in a slot 6 therein (Fig.l) whereby as said gear is rocked member 34 will "be correspondinglyrocked. Member 34 has laterallyextending spaced projections 35, 36 foreach lever 22, adapted to support acoin over or in the correspondingspace 37 therebetween within which spaces corresponding lowerprojections 22 of corre sponding levers 22 may operate. The member 34 isalso shown provided with spaced recesses 34 for the free play ofprojections 22 Upon projection 35 is a stop 38, shown in the form of ascrew, for cooperation with one edge of a coin and on the projection 36is acoin stop 39 opposed to screw 38 adapted to cooperate with theopposite edge of such coin, whereby the latter will be bridged acrossbetween the stops 38 and 39. The stop 39 is movablycarried by member 34,and is so arranged as to resist thrust of the coin when it is moved withmember 34 to operate the correspondinglever 22,

and to move independently when the member moves in the oppositedirection for releasing the coin. Stop 39 is shown comprising a piece ofmetal'having a base 39 from which extend outwardly flaring wings orprojections 39 having downwardly beveled edges 39 to cooperate with acoin, the side edges of the base 39 also cooperating with the coin,which base rests upon the projection 36. Said base has a downwardlyextending lug 39 on the rearward side er.

projection 36, and an upwardly extending rounded adjacent lug 39 that isfitted in the forked lower end of a block 40 secured to the upwardlyextending portion of member 34 by screw 41, whereby said stop 39 issupported for free movement upon projection 36 (Figs. 1 and 2). When acoin is entered through a coin slot 29 the coin slides to positionbetween the corresponding screw 38 and the opposing edge of stop 39, inwhich position the coin will be beneath the projection 22 and opposing ashoulder 22 of the lever for pushing the lever to rock it (Figs. 1, 2).Since I have shown aplurality of levers 22, spaced apart, I have shown amovable stop 39 between two spaced screws 38, one side of which stop 39oooperateswith a coin from one slot, and the other side of the stop 39with a coin from another slot, which coins in turn cooperate with thecorresponding stop screws 38, whereby each of the movable stops 39 isadapted to cooperate with two coins. It will be understood however, thatif the machine were provided with a single lever '22, a single stop 39to cooperate with a corresponding single stop 38 would be provided. 7

In order to guide a coin to operative position between a stop 38 and theadjacent stop 39, and to cause said coin to push corresponding lever 22when member 34 is operated, I provide a movable coin pusher 42 carriedby member 34. Said pusher is provided with lugs 43 at its ends pivotallysupported at 44 upon arms 45 projecting laterally from member 34,whereby the pusher is movably carried by and with said member. A. coilspring 46 connects member 34 with pusher 42 on one side of the plane ofthe pivots of the latter, thereby tending to tilt the forward edge ofthe pusher behind coins on member 34. Normally, however, such edge ofthe pusher is maintained below the coin, and the pusher serves as aguide for the coin to its position between the stops 38 and 39. For suchpurpose pusher 42 is shown provided with a projection 47 adapted toengagethe wall or cross strip 10 of frame 10, when the parts are intheir normal positions (Fig. 1), to tilt the pusher 42 against thetension of spring 46, and

the coin. To control the tilting of pusher 42 by spring 46 theprojection 47 is providedwith a projection 48, which projection I entersa recess 34 in member 34 to engage the latter to check the tilting ofmember 42 by spring 46.

hen a coin is passed through a slot 29 it drops into the space 49between the movable member 32 and the plate or cross strip 10 and thecoin slides between suitably spaced stops 5'0 on'said plate which guidethe coin drops upon the to the corresponding passage 49 to receive thepusherto itsseat on yond member 32.

also At a position to one side of or behind the position at which thecoin is received between the stops 38,39 on a member 34,is located acoin extractor, to discharge colns from member 34 after the operationofthe corresponding lever 22 by the com. Said extractor is indicated at 51and is shown substantially in the .form'of a cross bar-having arms 52 atits ends pivotally supported at 53 upon the end walls of frame 10' torock. Said extractoris shown providedwith upstanding lugs 51normally-opposing a. coin F on member 34, and in the path of the coin,

which lug is shown forked at 51? the projection 22 whereby of thecorresponding lever 22 may play in such fork. The lugs 51 are shownslotted at 51, whereby if a coin with a string attached be inserted inthe machine and pushed with member 34 beyond a lug 51*, the string willbe caught in the slot-51 to be severed pulled. The coin extractor 51 isnormally retained 'n such position that a. coin on member 34, when thelatter is rocked forwardly,

. will push the extractor and tilt it by engage- 51 whereby i tion 57bears down upon arm ment of the coin with a corresponding lug the coinwill ride over such lug and will advance beyondit, and whereby duringthe return stroke of member 34 the rearwardedge of the coin will engagethe lug and the latter will dislodge 'the coin from member 34 fordeposit in any suitable receptacle in casing 1. Any suitable spring maybe utilized to normally retain exv tractor 51 in normal position withits lug 51 in front of the path of a coin carried by member 34. Such aspring is indicated at 54 shown attached to frame 1 at 55 and bearing.atits end 54 against extractor 51, said.

spring normally tending totilt the extractor rearwardly with the 'arm 52bearing against a stop 56 carried by an end wall of frame 10. -I haveshown extractor 51'provided with a projection or finger 57 that extendsfor-- wardly to cooperate with the" dog 20 before,

referred .to. v Said dog is shown provided said dog also havlng an arm20 beneath said projection (Fig. 4). When the extractor is in the normalposltion its projecto withdraw the dog from cooperation with ratchet 18,as indicated in dotted lin'es'in Fig. 4, -member- 34' sa1d. ratchet andshaft 16 may be-rotated'butthe 'ated. 'When'a coin-is deposited throughslot 29 andrests between the appropriate stops 38, 39,} of= member34,,and shaft 16 is latter it will pass freely bewhen the string is aprojectingportion levers-22 will not be actuthen rotated, the. coin willbe Carriedforward by. the pusher- 42 into engagement with a lug'51 ofextractor. 51, causing-the, latter to tilt, and thereuponitsprojection'57 will.-

'rise and will push spring -58 upwardly,

whereupon dog 29 will be raised into cooperation-with a tooth'of ratchet18- to. prevent reverse rotation thereof, 7 and whereby reverse movementofgmember 341s prevented, 1

requiring continued forward rotation of mal, whereupon projection 57will-descend to operateupon arm 20 from cooperation to withdraw dog 20with ratchet 1 18, whereby shaft 16, when releasedby the operator, willreturn to normal under the influence of 7 spring 14 operating gears 13and 15, and correspondingly member 34 and. pusher 42 will return tonormal positions. 7

To prevent tokens that are subject to magnetic attraction from reachingthemember 34, if passed through. a coin s]ot', I provide andvso long asthere is no .coi n upon shaft 16 before-the parts can be brought 1 amagnet 59'which-is shown'projectlng 1nwardly from wall or strip 10across space 49 (Fig. "3.) and spaced froman adjacent stop 50, beneaththe corresponding coin slot.

When a magnetic token passes from the coin 1 slot between saldmagnetandstop, the magnet will attract-the token to draw vit to one side awayfrom the line of descent to the 42 of pusher 42, so that the token maypassthrough the front space 42 of said pusher below: (Fig. 4), to apassage orway 60 within casing 1, which leads to an outlet 61 from thecasing to discharge such tokensand prevent them from operating themechanism. Passage 60 is shown provided betweenfthe front wall of easing1 and the downwardlyconverging wall 62 secured within the casing. Since,in the example illustrated, provision is made for a vices, I have shown'two magnet poles 59' ,each spaced below two'adjacent coin slots,

H wall 10 which is provided with openings '63 with a sprlng 58 restingupon pro ectlon 57,

' 3 and 4). r

v Having nowl described myinventionwhat I I'claim is: 20 of dog 20 1. Ina vending machine, the combinaftion of a casing having a coin slot, achute for articles, a lever having means to discoin slot forcorresponding controlling de- I charge articles from the chute, coincontrolled means to actuate said lever, a slot closer operativelyconnected with the lever to move-therewith to obstruct the passage of acoin through the slot when the lever is operated to eject an article andmeans to obstruct operation of said closer whenengaged by an instrumentoperated through the coin slot whereby to prevent operation of the leverto discharge an article.

2. In a vending machine, the combination of a casing having a coin slot,a chute for articles, a lever having means to discharge articles fromthe chute, coin con trolled means to actuate said lever. a slot closeroperatively connected with the lever to move therewith to obstruct thepassage of acoin through the slot when the lever is operated to eject anarticle, means to obstruct operation of said closer when engaged by aninstrument operated through the coin slot whereby to prevent operationof the lever to discharge an article and means to retain the lever inoperated position to keep the slot closer opposing the slot when adesired number of articles have been discharged from the chute.

3. In a vending machine, the combination of a casing having a coin slot,a chute for articles, a lever having means to discharge articles fromthe chute, means to actuate said lever, a plate movably connected withthe lever, means to guide the plate beneath the slot to oppose thepassage of a coin through the slot when the lever is moved to dischargean article from the chute, a stop opposing the plate adjacent theforward side of. the coin slot, said stop normally permitting the plateto pass it and shaped to prevent the plate passing it when pressure isapplied upon the plate, and means to prevent the return of the lever toretain said plate opposing the slot when a desired number of articleshave been discharged from the chute.

4. In a vending machine, the combination of a casing having a coin slot,a chute for articles, a lever having means to discharge articles fromthe chute, means to actuate said lever, means operated by the lever toCopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner prevent entrance of a coin through said slot when thelever is operated to discharge an article, a stop opposing said means topre vent its operation byan instrument inserted in the coin slot todischarge an article, and means to prevent return movement of the leverfrom a partially operated position to retain the coin slot obstructed bysaic slot obstructing means until the completion of the operation of thelever.

5. In a vending machine, the combination of a casing having a coin slot,a chute for articles, a lever having means to discharge articles fromthe chute, means to actuate said lever, a slot closer operativelyconnected with the lever to move therewith to obstruct the passage of acoin through the slot when the lever is operated to eject an article, astop opposing said closer to prevent its operation by an instrumentinserted in the coin slot, said stop having a beveled edge permittingnormal passage of said closer thereover, means to slidably guide thecloser toward and from the stop and means to prevent return movement ofthe lever with the closer from a partially operated position to retainthe slot closer obstructing the coin slot until the return of the leverwith the closer from a fully operated position.

6. In a vending machine, the combination of a casing having a coin slot,a chute for articles, a lever having means to discharge articles fromthe chute, coin controlled means to actuate said lever, a erativelyconnected with the lever to move therewith to obstruct the passage of acoin through the slot when the lever is operated to eject an article, astop having a beveled edge in the path of the slot closer permitting thecloser to pass operated by the lever, and to prevent operation of thelever by the closer to dis charge an article.

Signed at New York city, New York and State of New day of January A D.,1918.

ELIJ AH F. SPAULDING.

in the county of York this 26th Witness T. F. BOURNE.

of Patents,

Washington, D. 0.

slot closer op-- over the stop when

